Apparatus for the dispensing of liquids, container cartridge suitable for this, and system comprising the apparatus for the dispensing of liquids, and the container cartridge

Abstract

The present invention relates to a propellant-gas-free apparatus for the dispensing of liquids, a container cartridge suitable for this for storing the liquid and the ensemble comprising both. The invention comprises a device for the exertion of pressure and for accommodating a container cartridge and a container cartridge in which the dispensing facility is integrated.

1. A device for the delivery of a drug in an aerosol of droplets by delivery of the drug under pressure, comprising:
 a container cartridge having a non-pressurized cylinder therein, at rest, containing a single-dose of the drug, a piston in the cylinder, and an outlet end opposite the inlet end having a dispensing facility and means for feeding the drug thereto; 
 an elastic element for the storage of a predetermined quantity of energy; 
 a mobile element to which the predetermined quantity of energy can be fed and which is coupled to the piston such that the energy can move the piston and expose the single-dose of the drug to a predetermined increase in pressure within the cylinder; and 
 means for the respective introduction and removal of the container cartridge into and from an accommodation chamber within the device, wherein 
 the device has a housing lower section, one end of which defines a bottom-side end of the device, a housing middle section housed rotatable against the housing lower section and a housing upper section, designed at least one of vertically swivellable and eccentrically rotatable relative to the housing middle section, with the means for accommodating the container cartridge, such that an end of the housing upper section, in the closed state of the device, is not connected to the housing middle section and defines a top-side end of the device. 
 
   
   
     2. A device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the container cartridge can be introduced into the accommodation chamber via an opening in a housing wall of the device. 
   
   
     3. A device according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the container cartridge, after its introduction into the housing opening, can be transferred into its end-position by a 
   
   
     4. A device according to  claim 2 , characterized in that a part of the housing wall includes a removable grip which is provided with a holding means for accommodating the container cartridge. 
   
   
     5. A device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the container cartridge can be introduced directly into its end-position in the device. 
   
   
     6. A device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the container cartridge can be introduced into a bore passing through the housing upper section. 
   
   
     7. A device according to  claim 6 , characterized in that there are developed on the bore one or more stops beyond which the container cannot be pushed and/or means are developed for guiding the container cartridge up to the one or more stops. 
   
   
     8. A device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the elastic element for the storage of a predetermined quantity of energy is a helical spring which is part of a locking clamping means and via which a drive flange, which is connected to a pressure piston, is moved vertically. 
   
   
     9. A device according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the compression spring is located in a compression spring housing which is housed rotatable in the housing middle section and is connected to the housing lower section, the compression spring being tensioned via a gear system when the housing lower section and/or the compression spring housing is rotated against the housing middle section and moves a drive flange bottom-side and the compression spring remains in the tensioned position via a locking member, until a relaxation occurs due to the pressing of a release key connected to the locking member. 
   
   
     10. A device according to  claim 9 , characterized in that blocking means are developed for blocking the release key that are coupled to the closure mechanism between the housing upper section and housing lower section. 
   
   
     11. A device according to  claim 10 , characterized in that the blocking means comprise a mobile locking bolt which prevents the horizontal release movement of at least one of the locking member and the release key. 
   
   
     12. A device according to  claim 9 , characterized in that the device has closure arrest means for preventing the housing upper section from being opened as long as the compression spring is not tensioned, and the pressure piston thus projects into the housing upper section. 
   
   
     13. A device according to  claim 12 , characterized in that the closure arrest means comprise a mobile arrester bolt which prevents the release of the closure key until the pressure piston is in the position defined by the tensioned spring. 
   
   
     14. A system for the delivery of a predosed quantity of at least one of a medico-therapeutically effective substance and a medico-prophylactically effective substance in an aerosol of droplets by delivery of the predosed quantity of the drug under pressure by the dispensing facility, comprising a device according to  claim 1 . 
   
   
     15. A system according to  claim 14 , characterized in that the accommodation chamber and the container cartridge are developed to fit precisely. 
   
   
     16. A system according to  claim 14 , characterized in that it is an inhalation device.